On-again, off-again tariff talk kept agricultural markets on edge with the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump. Living up to his name, the president’s whims and proclamations have a tendency of trumping anything else going on, and the early days of the new U.S. administration promised more of the same. While the initial flurry of […] Read more
Corn
Canfax report
This cattle market information is selected from the weekly report from Canfax, a division of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. More market information, analysis and statistics are available by becoming a Canfax subscriber by calling 403-275-5110 or at www.canfax.ca. Heifers finish strong Alberta heifers had an exceptionally strong week, closing up $8.01 and a record $270.61 […] Read more
Canadian tariff response called poorly handled
Trade observer says exporters, particularly those in agriculture, should be thinking further ahead and preparing
REGINA —Donald Trump’s promise to impose tariffs on all imports from Canada and Mexico could affect potash prices for American farmers. The president-elect takes office Jan. 20 and has said 25 per cent tariffs are coming on all products. However, a tariff on potash could place his own farmers at a disadvantage because they rely […] Read more
La Nina looks likely; could last into spring
REUTERS — La Nina conditions are present and there is a 59 per cent chance of it persisting through February-April, with a 60 per cent chance of transition to ENSO-neutral conditions during March-May, says a U.S. government forecaster. La Nina, a climate phenomenon marked by cooler-than-usual ocean temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific […] Read more
China eyes crop yields
BEIJING, China (Reuters) — China will accelerate the breeding of new soybean and corn varieties and prioritize yield improvements for key grains and oil crops as part of broad efforts to ensure food security. The focus will be on five key crops — corn, rice, wheat, soybeans and rapeseed — and the better use and […] Read more
FCL shelves renewable diesel, canola crush projects
REGINA — Federated Co-operatives Ltd. today announced it is not going ahead with its planned Integrated Agriculture Complex at Regina. The company said the two main projects within the complex have been “paused.” According to a news release, regulatory and political uncertainty, potential shifts in low-carbon public policy and escalating costs are the reasons the […] Read more
Dry weather affects crop production in other countries
While Prairie producers are expecting good growing conditions this year, other countries currently struggle with dryness
REGINA — Dry conditions are affecting South American crops, which in turn will affect markets, says agricultural meteorologist Drew Lerner. The recent bump in corn and soybean prices has come from drier weather in Argentina and Brazil, the World Weather Inc. president told a Jan. 7 webinar. Uruguay and parts of Paraguay are also dry. […] Read more
U.S. rural economy to be ‘squeezed, hobbled, slowed’
By far the biggest lender to U.S. farmers, ranchers and rural businesses is the Farm Credit System, whose four banks and 56 associations hold nearly 50 per cent of all debt in rural America. What’s more, the largest lender within the massive FCS is CoBank. In mid-2024, CoBank reported an “average loan volume” of US$149.9 […] Read more
USDA’s WASDE report bullish for corn and soybeans
Changes in the department’s production estimates for corn were the most dramatic of the three major commodities
The U.S. Department of Agriculture WASDE report released Jan. 10 was bullish for corn and soybeans while wheat was neutral. Bullish soybean estimates from the USDA will provide support for Canadian canola markets, while the bullish corn numbers should provide support for the entire grains complex. The report was not positive for wheat with U.S. […] Read more
Crop markets follow weather, tariffs, currency fluctuations
Crop markets in early 2025 will likely be subdued as production prospects in South America appear good and the outlook for global trade is on edge, fearing U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s threats about levying harsh tariffs and a potential renewed trade war with China. In the Southern Hemisphere, Australia has mostly completed its harvest with […] Read more
